Within reading these five articles assigned for this blog post, the articles helped me learn how important it is to incorporate technology and how to correctly use technology in the classroom. Using technology in the classroom can produce student engagement and collaboration among student to student and teacher to student. Hobbs states, “I define digital and media literacy competencies that include (i) the use of texts, tools, and technologies to access both information and entertainment; (2) the skills of critical thinking, analysis, and evaluation; (3) the practice of message composition and creativity; (4) the ability to engage in reflection and ethical thinking; as well as (5) active participation in social action through individual and collaborative efforts” (Hobbs 2011). These statements are crucial to keep in the back of your mind whenever planning for a lesson because they can help guide how to implement technology into the lesson.
Bloom’s Taxonomy is one of the critical learning theories that I was taught throughout my college and Bloom’s Taxonomy helps teachers understand how to help and teach to their students. As teachers, we are able to create and guide our lesson plans to help implement instructional strategies based on student understanding. This can also apply to technology as well. As teachers plan their lessons, we can select the most appropriate technology tools for our students. Based on the first article, Hobbs states, “School librarians, teachers, and educational technology leaders can help shift the focus to emphasize how digital tools are used to promote critical thinking, creativity, and communication and collaboration skills” (Hobbs 2011).
Technology should be used in the classroom, but only when it is properly integrated and profited from. This applies to me because I currently teach ninth grade which is great because all students know how to use a computer and technology, but some students can get distracted very easily by going to another website whenever they are supposed to be doing an assignment or taking notes. Making sure that they stay on task and doing what they are supposed to be doing is crucial for how technology can be integrated. This is how “deep learning” will take place, which Fullan and Langworthy describe “deep learning” as, “develops the learning, creating, and ‘doing’ dispositions that young people need to thrive now and in their futures. We will see that when teachers and students engage in deep learning, they partner with each other in more personal and transparent learning processes where high expectations are mutually negotiated and achieved through challenging deep learning tasks.” (Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. 2014)
References
Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A Rich Seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson. Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/innovation/open- ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.
Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Huitt, W. (2011). Bloom et al.'s taxonomy of the cognitive domain. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsychinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.
Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Rogers, E. M. (1963). The adoption process II. Journal of Cooperative Extension, 1(2), 69-75. Retrieved from https://archives.joe.org/joe/1963summer/1963-2-a2.pdf.
Your post highlights some important points about the role of technology in fostering critical thinking and student engagement. I appreciate how you connected Hobbs' emphasis on digital literacy competencies with practical classroom applications—especially the idea that critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration are central to successful tech integration. I also noticed how you tied Bloom’s Taxonomy into technology use, which I agree is a great way to scaffold learning based on students’ current abilities. One thing that stood out to me was your mention of students getting distracted by technology. I’ve faced the same challenge, and I wonder how you might handle it—would you consider using tools that limit distractions or perhaps strategies that reward focus? Your reflection on deep learning also adds depth to your post, reminding us that technology should enhance learning, not just be used for the sake of it. Overall, your insights helped me think more critically about how I plan to integrate tech in my own lessons.
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